I did skip day 13 {yesterday} → creating a collage of this season of my life. I couldn’t really find any pictures of myself juggling all of life’s responsibilities all the while looking June Clever-ish – in my freshly pressed dress and string of pearls! Hahaha!

{This photo is of some of my top 10 books!}

Today is day 14 of the challenge and I’m tasked with telling you about the 5 books that have impacted my life the most.

The first is a given: My Bible. There is no other book that has all the answers. All of them. There are self-help books out there; books that can give you 5 or 10 steps to a better {fill in the blank}. But this one is the end-all, be-all. Jeremiah 29:13

The next four are not in any particular order, but have all been a great influence on who I am as a wife, mother, boss/leader/co-worker, friend and believer:

Love and Respect– one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s about marriage, and if you’re looking for a way to invigorate your marriage, read it. But be prepared to both recognize: 1. where you’re missing the mark and 2. where you need to make some changes in your life. It’s a game changer.

The Passionate Mom – so good. I read it over my Sabbatical this Spring and it helped me understand/remember that no two kids {people} are the same. What I do as a mom for Reynolds might not work/be appropriate/show love the same way for Eliza Jane. I hope that makes sense.

It also talks about setting boundaries as a parent. We are their protector and we don’t need to be ashamed of protecting our kids. God has given them into our care for a period of time and it is our right/duty/purpose and joy to parent them in a way that is bold and courageous. Be passionate about being a real parent!!

The 5 Levels of Leadership – a work-related book. This one I started last fall and finished up this Spring during my Sabbatical. It’s focus is on becoming a better leader. I manage people for a living. I love managing people, but it’s a challenge in many ways {people are challenging in case you didn’t know!}. I have an amazing team, with wonderful individuals with their own unique sets of talents and gifts. I think, and hope, that this book has enabled me to become a better leader for them, especially over the last year.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – ah. Slow down. Sllloooowwww down. Remember Mary and Martha? Mary wanted to just sit at Jesus’ feet. Martha was busy serving Him. This book helps blend the joys of sitting/resting/being still before our Lord with the desires of the serving/leading/doing that many of us feel called to. It’s really great for those of us who might struggle with one because we’re so passionate about the other.

In case you were wondering, I’m a “Martha” struggling to be more of a “Mary”…

1. Bible – to borrow a quote from Mark Twain: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” The Bible tells me why.
2. The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink – first book to help develop a biblical understanding of God’s character.
3. According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy – first book that helped me understand the storyline of the Bible being about the Gospel of Jesus
4. God’s Passion for His Glory by Joh Piper – introduce me to the centrality of God’s glory in all things
5. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni – has helped shape my understanding of the fundamentals of a successful work environment.

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